WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WTHR) - Swimming pools are planning to reopen soon for the outdoor season, with local social distancing recommendations guiding the number of people who can get in the water.
But is the water safe from the spread of COVID-19?
One expert says, yes, provided that recommended chlorine levels are maintained.
Ernest “Chip” Blatchley III is a Purdue University engineer who studies pool water decontamination. He says the pools themselves should pose minimal risk of spreading the coronavirus to swimmers.
“There are no data to show how the coronavirus responds to chlorine, but we do know that chlorine effectively inactivates similar viruses," according to Blatchley. "In the U.S., the general guidance for keeping pools properly disinfected is maintaining a free chlorine concentration between 1 and 5 milligrams per liter. If a pool has that concentration, there would be very little infective novel coronavirus in the water."
"The most relevant issue would be contamination of the air or surfaces in these facilities,” he adds. Poor air circulation, crowds and contaminated surfaces such as handrails are much more likely to spread the virus.
Blatchely researches how chlorine in swimming pools reacts with contaminants such as body fluids, drugs and personal care products and has studied pool water treatment and chemistry for more than 20 years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through the water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds.
